A senate inquiry looking into the sexualisation of children in the media has recommended setting up dedicated children’s television channels. The report by the Senates environment, communications and arts committee, was at the urging of outgoing Democrat leader Lyn Allison.
The report felt that the inappropriate sexualization of children in Australia was a matter of increasing concern and needed action by society. "In particular, the onus is on broadcasters, publishers, advertisers, retailers and manufacturers to take account of these community concerns," the report said.
Family First senator Steve Fielding criticized the report saying, "The better recommendations are not expressed strongly enough to make them effective, the industry has gotten off lightly."
Australian Christian Lobby managing director Jim Wallace said, “Instead of dealing with the need for greater government regulation which gives priority to the interests of children, they have been snowed by the very industry they were inquiring into, effectively leaving the issue in their hands.”
Charles Sturt University professor Clive Hamilton said, "The recommendations of the committee veer from the weak to the pathetic and suggest that the inquiry allowed itself to be snowed by the advertising industry. The timidity of the recommendations indicates that the committee is happy to invest its faith in the system of self-regulation that has, in fact, brought about the situation that the inquiry was launched to investigate."